Sophie says it's business as usual

The Countess of Wessex yesterday wrote to clients of her publicity firm to deny reports that the Queen had ordered her to choose between her royal duties and her public relations career.

She said the reports in several newspapers that senior royals had warned of a conflict of interest between her two roles contained "false allegations".

But it also emerged yesterday that the former Sophie Rhys-Jones would be taking a lower profile role in promoting her PR clients.

In her letter, the countess stressed her continuing commitment to R-JH public relations, the company she worked for before her marriage to Edward, Earl of Wessex.

The countess, 34, has faced mounting media criticism that she was exploiting her royal status to boost her PR career. But in a hint that her relations with Buckingham Palace may not be totally harmonious, she wrote about talking "openly about sensitive issues" with the royal family.

In the letter, she said: "The purpose of this letter is to reassure you that I am totally committed to R-JH, and, as I said at the time of my engagement, it is and continues to be 'business as usual'.

"I am of course, and always will be, very sensitive to the responsibilities which I have assumed as a result of my marriage into the royal family. That is what makes the recent press coverage so potentially damaging.

"I also want to emphasise that Buckingham Palace have made it clear that they are supportive of my role at R-JH...

"My top priority is to develop the business of R-JH and to provide a first class service to our clients.

"Do please give me a call directly if you would like to talk to me about this letter or the recent press coverage about R-JH."

Murray Harkin, who co-owns R-JH public relations with the countess, said she would in future attend fewer photo-calls. Media criticism of the countess, who uses the business name Sophie Wessex, increased last week after her agency won the contract to promote the Rover 75 and she was pictured at the Frankfurt motor show.